


Raise Your Glass

by red_lasbelin



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Imladris, M/M, Moving In Together, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-18 02:10:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13672089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_lasbelin/pseuds/red_lasbelin
Summary: Erestor and Glorfindel's first adventure.





	Raise Your Glass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mawgy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mawgy/gifts).



Erestor took the last bag off the cart, rested it on the stone step by the front door and tried to remember where he had put his money. His arms were sore, his head ached, and he was thoroughly over this entire process. The driver looked at him expectantly, and Erestor raised a hand. “Just a moment,” he said and then ducked inside the house, grabbing the bag as he went.

Once he was inside, he put the bag in the kitchen and reached for the thin cord around his neck and pulled a tiny cloth purse out from under his tunic. The coins jingled faintly inside. This wasn’t the usual purpose for the money, but he didn’t have time to scratch around for wherever he’d tucked the cart driver’s fare. He’d probably find that two days later, with his luck. He found the right denomination – or as close to it as he had, the driver would have a nice tip – and tucked the purse back under his tunic.

He stepped outside, paid the driver and looked around the neighborhood as the cart, free from easily half of Erestor’s belongings, rolled off down the road. The area had been developed before the housing explosion as Imladris had begun to grow; homes weren’t as uniform or as well-plotted as the newer settlements. But they had good construction and it resulted in a rather quirky neighborhood with a mixture of styles.  Erestor thought it suited him just fine. Glorfindel had been skeptical, but Erestor promised him the extra room with big glass windows and good morning light. It had been easy after that.

He smiled when he thought of that talk – he had always been good with negotiations. He turned and looked towards the house. It required some work: the garden needed tending, there was a cracked stone on the walkway, one of the stairs leading up to the second floor needed repairing, and two of the rooms definitely needed new paint. But it was theirs.

Energy renewed, if only temporarily, he went back inside the house. It was in a state of disarray, but at least all the furniture had been moved. They’d had an interesting time of combining their household items. But his favorite chair was there, and Glorfindel’s bookshelves, which were newer and nicer than Erestor’s. His rug, a gift from Gildor and brightly patterned in warm colours, was spread out in the center of the room and would look lovely once the bags and boxes were put away. They still needed a couch, something big enough for them to sit on and enjoy a fire in the fireplace when the nights were cold.

With a brief wince, he collected two of the nearest bags and took them upstairs, taking care to avoid the bad stair. He passed the room promised to Glorfindel, already full of his art supplies, canvases and knickknacks and went into the bedroom. It was blessedly big – Erestor wasn’t sure about sharing a terribly small bedroom with anyone yet. He’d enjoyed his space as a single person, and committing to share a new house and a life with Glorfindel had been a big step for him.

Glorfindel’s bed had been delivered earlier, and now was just missing blankets and sheets. The headboard was gorgeously carved, with thickly-leaved vines and blossoming flowers etched into the honey-coloured wood, and the mattress was plump and stuffed with down. Erestor remembered the first morning he had woken up in that bed, rolling over to find the twice-born elf awake and giving him a soft smile. He knew it was the start of something, but he hadn’t a clue at the time that, years down the line, it would lead to this moment. He put the bags down by the closet; they were stuffed with clothes and would need to be unpacked into the closet or his wardrobe tucked into the corner. The thought crossed his mind that they might not have enough room for all their clothing. He shrugged his shoulders. Glorfindel would have to make space in his art room if there ­­­wasn’t.

Erestor looked around for the sheets and bedding. He wasn’t even sure he remembered what they were transported in from the Homely House to here. He felt the headache beginning to form behind his eyes.

“I don’t have time for this,” he muttered to the empty room.

It was almost as if the house heard him. The door downstairs opened, then closed. Erestor’s head turned to the sound. He wasn’t used to the house yet, and his senses were on high alert. He thought he’d locked it.

“Erestor?” Glorfindel’s voice sounded tired, but threaded with the warmth Erestor’d always felt from his partner.   His shoulders relaxed immediately.

“I’m up here,” he called out, and returned to his search for the bedding. He listened to the sound of Glorfindel on the steps and felt instead of heard when he reached the doorway.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Erestor looked over his shoulder. “Don’t be silly.  I’m tired and look a mess. Did you pack the sheets?”

Glorfindel frowned briefly, then turned and disappeared from the doorway. A moment later he came back with a stack of light blue sheets and a familiar woven blanket.

“Yes, they got packed inside the cedar chest. Among other things. I think that was at the point we were done with organization and just started shoving things where they’d fit.”

“Sounds right. Help me make the bed?” Erestor tucked a stray strand of hair back behind his ear and looked up at Glorfindel.

“Yes, of course.” Glorfindel leaned down and pressed a kiss to Erestor’s mouth. “I picked up dinner, by the way. The bakery down the street still had some of those stuffed rolls you like.”

 “Varda’s stars, I think I love you.” Erestor sighed and slid his arms around Glorfindel’s waist, leaning into the solid warmth of him. He was so damn tired, and the move was only half done. Everything still needed to be put in its place.

“You think so?” Glorfindel laughed, then dropped the sheets on the bed so he could hug him back and kiss the top of his head. “I’d hope you’d know by now.”

“I’m fairly sure. Besides, we’ve moved too much stuff to break up.”

“Tell me how that would go?”

“Glorfindel, I love you, but I’m not excited by you anymore? Or - it’s not you, it’s me…?”

Glorfindel pulled back and looked down at him, giving him a small shake. “Erestor, that’s a terrible way to break up with somebody. I’d kick you out of the house. Probably throw your clothing out the window for good measure and make you move all your stuff back yourself. Breaking my heart like that…”

“Wait a minute, who says you get the house? I found it, you didn’t even want it at first!”

“Yes, but the art room is perfect, and you broke my heart. I should get something from it.”

“Well, this was hypothetical, and you’re stuck with me.”

Glorfindel had frowned at the mention of a break up, but now his mouth twitched – Erestor had learned that it was a sure sign he was fighting a smile. “Oh, how terrible to be stuck with you. Whatever shall I do?”

“Learn to make the best of it and fix that damn stair before one of us trips and breaks our neck.” Erestor touched Glorfindel’s forearm lightly, then slipped free from his grasp. “Námo wouldn’t be happy to see you again over something so trivial.”

“He’d kick me out and you’d miss me.” Glorfindel said, with that confident shrug Erestor liked, but which could just as easily drive him crazy. Glorfindel spread out the sheet and started making the bed.

“Maybe after a while. Would you take your clothes with you, though? Not sure there’s enough space…” Erestor kept it light and walked round to the other side and helped tuck the bottom sheet under the mattress.

Glorfindel paused, the top sheet in hand and narrowed his eyes at Erestor. “Now we talked about this, you’re sharing the closet. It’s not entirely yours.”

Erestor grabbed the end of the sheet and fluffed it over the bed, then smoothed the linen. “We have to unpack,” he offered noncommittally. “See how things fit.”

Glorfindel grunted and ignored him, or so he thought. They spread the blankets and added the pillows, and Erestor made sure they were fluffed and laying right. As he laid the last one in place, he felt Glorfindel move up behind him. He didn’t think anything of it at first, until strong hands gripped his waist. He frowned and started to turn, but Glorfindel was quicker, lifting him up onto the bed.

“Oh no, we just made the bed…Glorfindel!!!” He tried to be angry, he really did, but as he shifted onto his back, Glorfindel began to press kisses along his neck, so he slid fingers into golden hair to tug, to lift his head up, but instead his hand rebelled and held Glorfindel close.

He was tired and overwhelmed at the amount of things to unpack, but the bed was soft and a smile crept onto his lips. Glorfindel’s warm mouth dipped into the hollow at the base of his neck, and he groaned and shifted underneath Glorfindel’s muscled body, managing to wrap an arm around his waist.

“I thought we had plans for dinner?” he offered, fighting to keep his voice even. It almost worked too.

Glorfindel blew air lightly over his collarbone, slick from his mouth, and made the hair on the back of his neck prickle and his heartbeat flutter. “Yes, of course. Just reminding you, share and share alike.”

“Is that a threat about the closet?” Erestor said, with a huff of disbelief, hand slipping from Glorfindel’s hair. “Is that really necessary?”

“I take nothing for granted when it involves you and clothing.” Glorfindel leaned back, bracing his arm beside Erestor’s head, and grinned.

“Oh whatever.” Erestor pushed at Glorfindel, who didn’t budge much. That was either irritating or exceptionally hot, and today it was both. “Fine, but I get the wardrobe. And any overage goes into your art room.”

“What do I get out of this?”

“My continued happiness? You got the art room all to yourself, anyway, it’s fair.”

Glorfindel cocked his head to the side and considered him. “It’s never going to be boring with you, is it?”

Erestor pushed himself back up on his elbows, bringing their faces closer together, and said softly, “Not a bad thing, surely?”

Glorfindel leaned in to press a lingering kiss on Erestor’s mouth, then shook his head in answer. “Not a bad thing at all.”

He got up and offered Erestor a hand up off the bed. “Come on, the rolls are waiting. I got a bottle of that ale you like too.”

\-------

They went downstairs, ignoring the pile of bags and boxes in the living area and went to the kitchen. It was starting to darken outside, so they found and lit the candles, adding a warm glow to the room. It was decently furnished with a good stove, a sink and cupboards. They didn’t have a great many plates and cutlery yet, too used to eating staff meals at the Homely House. But Glorfindel’s second in command did wood-working in his spare time and after hearing their plans to move in together made a gorgeous wood table especially for them. It had been delivered two days ago – but as of yet had no chairs to go with it. At this point, Erestor could only laugh at the haphazardness of his life.

The basket from the bakery sat on the table and so did the ale. Just the smell of the rolls made Erestor’s stomach grumble and he went to wash his hands. “Do you know where the mugs are? I know we had some…”

Glorfindel shook his head. “Not a bloody clue. And after my day, I don’t care. It’s what the bottle is for anyway, isn’t it?”

“Lord of a grand house…I thought I was the uncouth commoner.” Erestor hopped up onto the table and uncorked the bottle as Glorfindel washed his hands.

“You and your common ways have rubbed off on me.” Glorfindel rounded the table and came to stand in front of Erestor. Erestor made room for him to stand closer, widening his legs.

“I think you got a few of those ideas yourself, thank you very much.” Erestor said. “What are we drinking to?”

Glorfindel took the bottle from him and glanced at it. “To us? To the new house?”

 “Yes. I really do think this place will be special.” Erestor said softly.

“It could be a crumbling ruin and it’d still be special because it would have you in it.” Glorfindel looked back to Erestor. “Let’s drink to the start of a new adventure.”

He tilted the bottle to his mouth and took a long pull, swallowed, then pressed the bottle into Erestor’s waiting hand.

“A new adventure,” Erestor echoed, looking into bright blue eyes before taking a deep drink. “Sounds like fun.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it, Mawgy! It was fun to write. 
> 
> Much thanks to my beta, Keiliss.


End file.
